I had a reader email me to ask what I thought about the oral skin supplements – Imedeen and Estime. There are many schools of thought about these oral skincare supplements. Some don’t believe in them. They say taking normal vitamins and supplements are good enough and these are extraneous or that they contain hormones. Others swear by them. I don’t quite subscribe to either theory, but I do take these oral skincare supplements, as introduced to me a couple of years back.

I have tried both brands. I started with Imedeen a couple of years back when they were the only player in the marker. Imedeen is expensive. The Classic one which is cheapest costs about RM200 a box which will last you a month. You take 2 tablets a day.

Imedeen is made from a marine extract. It claims to:-

• Nourish your skin from the inside – all over your body with results visible in 3-6 months
• Make your skin smoother and softer
• Improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture
• Reduce Fine lines and wrinkles
• Give you clearer younger looking complexion

You can read more about it on their website if you look it up online. The previous site seems to have disappeared.

I had been taking it regularly for a couple of years and then slacked off and took it intermittantly. You are supposed to take it continuously for 3-6 months before any effects can be noticed, and after that if you slack off a little, its ok. I must say I did notice that my skin did feel more supple and firm while I was taking it. My skin too did not give me much problems and the pigmentation on my cheeks appeared to be lighter and there was a glow/bloom to my skin. I have also tried the Plus version where you only take 1 tablet a day. The effects were much better but it is also a lot more expensive at over RM200 a box.

It was at this point that I thought to switch over to Estime as its slightly cheaper at about RM160 or so a box. It too lasts a month. You pop a large capsule a day.

Estime, according to their website is an internal beauty system. They claim to:-

• have internal sunscreen
• nourish the skin
• repair and reduce microscars
• strengthen the skin against free radicals and UV radiation
• results in smoother, firmer, more youthful and radiant skin

I took it for a spell. However, I found that my skin did not react well to this brand. I started having some skin issues (which I cleared up later with the apple cider vinegar toner) and I found that my skin felt less supple and firm. My pigmentation on my cheeks too were more prominent.

Both brands are from Switzerland and claim to be safe and scientifically proven. Imedeen contains a marine extract, so those who are allergic to seafood or marine foods should be more careful if you are considering taking this. Both brands too must be kept in the fridge or kept chilled in a cool dark place or their properties may be damaged or diminished. This makes it a pain when you travel, which is when I usually slack off.

In conclusion, having tried both brands, I’ll go back to Imedeen once I finish off my box of Estime tablets. Imedeen seems to work better for me, so I’ll stick with what works. There are lots of glowing testimonials to both brands, so I guess each will work for different people. For me, I guess my skin just likes expensive items!

Disclaimer: This is my personal review based on what I have tried for myself. It may or may not work for you so don’t come flaming me if it doesn’t work for you.

Update: This post was from 2007 and is now closed to comments. I no longer take oral skincare supplements and have not noticed anything untoward happening to my skin since stopping. I also have not noticed any detriment. I understand Estime cannot be found anymore. If you are wondering where to get it, please check with the pharmacies. As far as I’m aware, Imedeen is still available at most major pharmacies